AWARD DATE: 1968
AWARD NAME: Best Cartoon on Foreign Affairs
AWARD RECIPIENT: Don Wright
AWARD RECIPIENT AFFILIATION: Miami News
Announcement in January of this newest of OPC awards brought in 65 entries-the year’s largest total in any category. The competition-with the nation’s top talent contending as well as young hopefuls-was
stiff, and the decisions difficult. Recipient of the initial honors (and honorarium of $500) is Don Wright of the Miami News for his cartoon of U.S. Gl’s in Vietnam commencing ironically on the Paris Peace talks 34 years old and a staff member of the News since 1952, he started as a copyboy and has worked up from there, demonstrating versatility and imagination in the process. His flair for drawing and lampooning was quickly evident, and his illustrations were published even, before he ceased running copy. Promoted to staff photographer, he carried off a succession of State and national awards.
During his military service from 1956 to 1958 he worked as a Signal Corps photographer, and on returning to the News was made photo editor. On frequent occasions Wright·has been called upon to
sketch from life, at various news events where photographers were barred. In 1963 he was given the post of editorial cartoonist, and in 1965 his work won a Pulitzer prize.
Citation for Excellence: Bill Crawford, NEA, for his cartoon “Reach,” on the Israeli-Arab war.
Citation for Excellence: Warren King, The New York Daily News, for cartoon on de Gaulle titled
“Flood Tide.”